


The Full Court Shot

by ursweetheartless



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers - Ambiguous Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Love Confessions, Love Triangles, M/M, Not Beta Read, Pining, short fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-27
Updated: 2020-04-27
Packaged: 2021-03-02 02:22:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,808
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23877628
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ursweetheartless/pseuds/ursweetheartless
Summary: Steve finally feels ready to take a shot at asking out his best friend, and Tony feels ready to ask Steve out. Bucky isn't ready to do anything but let go of his crush on Tony.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Tony Stark, Steve Rogers/James "Bucky" Barnes (unrequited), Steve Rogers/Tony Stark (Unrequited)
Comments: 1
Kudos: 118





	The Full Court Shot

Tony is in the TA office grading papers all by himself. The knock on the door is not unexpected — it is office hours — but looking up to see Steve Rogers leaning there is a surprise. It’s a _great_ surprise. Steve is smiling his wide perfection smile, eyes sparkling, and Tony feels his heart skip a beat in his chest because Steve Rogers is as gorgeous as he remembered. 

Tony had hoped that maybe his jam-packed schedule this semester would put a little distance between them and dull the edges of the crush he’d been nursing for the last year or two. It hasn’t worked so far though if this is any indication. Maybe the experiment was just doomed from the start. 

“I’m not interrupting anything, am I? No important school business going on in here?” Steve asks. His smile is easy and wide and Tony wants to _taste_ it. He doesn’t. 

“Nope. Just finishing up the midterm grading.” Tony says as he fiddled with the red grading pen, “no one’s coming by for office hours, but by the looks of these tests some of these little cretins could use the help.” 

Steve laughs like Tony has made a hilarious joke and Tony’s heart speeds up again. Crush definitely not squashed then. Great. Amazing. 

“So we haven’t seen you around much lately, what are you doing this weekend? Specifically Saturday night?” Steve asks. Tony has a lot of work to do. He’s planning to spend Saturday night in the lab working on his practical lab because his partner for this project is a moron who can’t pull his own weight and isn’t really interested in trying. 

“Nothing much.” Tony says, “why? Fun plans?” 

“Yeah actually. We’re having a party.” Steve says as he shifts against the doorway so he can cross his arms in front of himself. “It’s nothing super special but you haven’t come to one in a while.” 

Tony nods. 

“Sure. I can make time for that.” He says. 

“Great!” Steve beams back at him. “And I was wondering if you’d do me a favor. Buck hasn’t been to anything in a while either, and he’s waffling about it. Could you see if you can drag him along? I know you have your tutoring thing after this.” Tony nods again. 

“Yeah, sure.” He says. “I dunno why you think he’ll listen to me and not you, but I’ll give it a shot.” 

Steve shifts again, his jeans taught over his thighs, and he grins. 

“Aw, you know he has a soft spot for you. Plus, he respects your opinion.” Steve says, then adds, “and he appreciates the tutoring and stuff, I figure you can always play the guilt card.” 

Tony laughs, and Steve looks proud of himself. 

“Aye aye, Captain.” Tony says, “I’ll give it my best shot.” 

  


* * *

  


Steve feels like he could take on the world right now. It feels like things might finally be going his way. It had taken him too many long years of pining to get to this point, but here he was. He was going to do it. 

Steve has had a crush on his best friend for as long as he can remember actually, it just took going away to college to realize it was a crush. Bucky hadn’t gone to college right away, he’d taken a few years to work some things out and live in the real world. Now, Steve was less than a year away from graduating and he’d finally — _finally_ — gotten up the nerve to do something about it. 

On Saturday night he was going to ask Bucky out. He was going to do everything he could to make it perfect. Now that he’d made the decision, it was like a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. Even walking across the quad, a trip he’d made countless times, felt new and exciting. The fall leaves looked brighter, the satisfying crunch under his feet sounded more appealing. 

Sam rolls his eyes but smiles indulgently when Steve hops up to sit next to him on the retaining wall outside the student union. 

“I’m gonna do it,” Steve says “this week I’m gonna do it.” 

Sam doesn’t have to ask what he’s going to do. He’s listened to Steve wax poetic about Bucky for too long. 

“Congratulations man. I was starting to think you were hopeless.” Sam teases, and Steve wants to push him off the wall but he doesn’t because he’s in the best mood. 

  


* * *

  


Bucky is alone in the study room at the back of the library when Tony bursts in and breaks the silence. He closes the door first, to hide them from the rest of the library, then he beams at Bucky with his absolutely adorable thousand-watt smile and makes an excited sort of squealing noise that makes Bucky want to kiss him stupid. 

Tony had been tutoring Bucky since the end of last semester. Coming back to school, diving into full-time student life after a few years working, had been a difficult transition. Steve has suggested getting a tutor, he’d even found Tony on his own, and it had been the best thing that could have happened to Bucky. 

Tony was adorable and kind and smart and he was really good at explaining things without making Bucky feel stupid. It hadn’t taken long for Bucky to fall in love. The only issue was, Tony was _also_ head over heels in love with Steve. He’d sworn Bucky to secrecy about it, which had been unnecessary but endearing, but it hadn’t been that hard to figure out on his own. 

“Oh god, Buckaroo!” Tony says breathless and giddy, “he’s having a party on Saturday and he asked me to come. It was absolutely adorable, you don’t even know!” Bucky smiles and leans forward onto his elbows. 

“I thought you had lab work to finish this weekend,” Bucky says it like a question but it isn’t. He remembers because Saturday evening is when Tony usually watches horrible old sci-fi movies with him and Rhodey, a tradition that Bucky looked forward to all week. “I see how it is. You never had any lab work, did you? It was all an elaborate ruse to ditch us for Prince Charming.” 

Bucky says it with a pout, but he can’t hold it for long. Tony’s good moods are always contagious. 

“You found me out!” Tony says, dramatically swooning onto the chair next to Bucky’s. “But seriously, would you come with me? To the party I mean. I could use the moral support. I think...” Tony goes serious, but he’s still grinning like an idiot as he swallows. “I think I’m gonna ask Steve out. I don’t have much time left, right?” 

Bucky nods and studies Tony carefully. The idea of that scares him, because who would turn down _Tony_? He knows it’s probably good though. It’ll make Tony happy, and maybe if Tony and Steve can be happy together then Bucky can be happy with that. 

“Yeah, you gotta do it sometime or you’ll miss your chance,” Bucky says, and Tony stares at the wall across the room for a moment, blank and white. 

“I know, I’m just...” Tony chews on his thumb, “I’m just nervous. What if he laughs at me? What if he just turns around and leaves?” Bucky leans over to bump his shoulder against Tony’s. He smiles encouragingly. 

“Hey, he wouldn’t. Steve would be lucky to have you, doll.” Bucky says, and he means it. “And even if he turns you down, which would make him stupid, he’s not gonna be cruel about it. Promise.” 

Tony doesn’t look convinced, but he never does. That’s fine though, Bucky will just keep telling him how great he is until he gets it. 

“So, will you come? For moral support?” Tony asks, “I know parties aren’t really your thing, but it would be nice to have you.” 

Bucky wants to say no because he’s not a masochist. He really does hate parties, and he doesn’t really want to watch Tony and Steve finally get together. He smiles and says yes anyway. 

“Absolutely. Anything you need, Tony.” 

  


* * *

  


Tony shows up on his own, and fashionably late at that. He’d spent more than an hour panicking in his apartment trying to figure out what to wear, but Bucky had talked him down over the phone and made some recommendations. Tony felt better after that, but he’s still anxious as fuck when he steps inside with the case of fancy local microbrews, the ones that Steve loves. 

Bucky isn’t there yet, but he’d promised Tony over the phone that he’d be there soon. When Steve shows up, looking every inch the gorgeous all-American beefcake, Tony tells him that. 

“Bucky should be here soon, he was stopping to pick something up I guess,” Tony says while he fumbles out of his jacket. “He shouldn’t be long.” 

Steve beams at him and throws an arm around Tony’s shoulders as they walk to the cooler to stick the beer in. 

“Thanks for coming, Tony. And thanks for getting Buck to come. It means a lot to me. It’s gonna be a special night.” Steve says, still grinning like an idiot. 

“Hey, Tones!” Sam says, as he steps in after them. The kitchen is quieter than the living room, but it’s still loud. “Is Bucky here yet? Loverboy has been on edge all day and I’m about ready to put him out of his misery here.” 

Tony shakes his head and misses Steve’s arm as soon as he pulls away. 

“Loverboy?” Tony asks because it’s something to say. Steve blushes at the title and Sam shoves his shoulder playfully. 

“Yeah, Captain Coward over here is finally gonna ask Buck out today. Guess he felt like he was running out of time.” Sam says back as he turns to go back in the living room, two bottles in each hand. Tony feels cold, like a shot of adrenaline. 

“Bucky, huh?” He asks. He’s really hoping Steve will shrug it off, tell him it’s just teasing. Instead, he ducks his head and smiles softly, and Tony swallows past the lump in his throat. 

“Yeah,” Steve says quietly, like it’s a secret, and Tony has to lean in to hear it even if he kinda doesn’t want to. “It’s always been him, you know? He’s amazing, and I just... I can’t wait much longer. I’m graduating this year, and if I don’t take the shot now I’m not gonna do it. It’ll be something I regret forever.” 

Tony nods, Tony smiles, and Tony claps a hand on Steve’s shoulder in what he hopes is a comforting way. 

“Good luck then, hotshot.” Tony says, “not that you’ll need it. Bucky would be stupid to turn you down and Bucky is _not_ stupid.” 

Steve smiles at him, looking up through his lashes, and Tony kind of wants to die. 

  


* * *

  


Bucky shows up more than fashionably late. He’s kind of hoping Tony will have done the asking already. The happy couple shit will be enough to deal with, Bucky isn’t excited about giving Tony a pep talk beforehand. 

It doesn’t seem like it’s happened yet though, because Tony is standing kind of near Steve and looking like he wants to be anywhere else. For a long moment, he thinks maybe it did go down already, and Steve said no, but he feels bad for that thought immediately. 

He catches Tony’s eye as he sidles up to them, raising an eyebrow in question, and tony just shakes his head a bit. It isn’t the clearest signal, but it feels like something has gone wrong. Tony doesn’t look nervous he looks tired and disappointed. Bucky wants to wrap him up in a hug, but he feels like it wouldn’t be appreciated in front of everyone else. 

He’s thinking about the best way to stealthily get Tony alone for a moment to ask when Steve ambushes him and pulls him into a tight hug. 

“Buck! You’re finally here!” Steve almost yells. Bucky can tell from experience that Stevie’s a few drinks in. Not drunk but definitely tipsy. 

“Yeah, I said I’d come didn’t I?” He says it to Tony, but Steve doesn’t seem to notice. “I had a few things to finish up first.” 

Steve throws an arm around his shoulders when he steps back, a wide smile stretched across his face. Bucky wants to shrug it off, which is weird, but he really did want to make sure Tony was okay. 

“Hey, can I talk to you for a minute, Buck?” Steve asks, and Bucky steps forward. Steve’s arm slides off him, and he looks Steve in the face. 

“Sure, what’s up?” Bucky answers, and Steve looks away. 

“I mean privately,” Steve says, and Bucky looks around the little circle. It looks like Tony and Sam at least know what’s going on. “Can we go upstairs maybe?” 

Bucky doesn’t want to leave, but he can’t really think of a good excuse. 

“Sure.” 

  


* * *

  


Tony doesn’t wait for Bucky and Steve to head upstairs. He pushes away from the chair he’d been leaning against as soon as they start walking. He waves to a few people as he weaves through the room and lets himself out the front door. 

It’s cold out, cold enough that there isn’t anyone else out there which is good. Tony wants to be alone right now. 

He wants Bucky and Steve to be happy. He _does_. If the two of them getting together is what’s gonna make that happen then Tony can deal with that. 

Alone and cold in the front yard right now though, he just lets himself feel like shit about it for a minute. Once he gets back inside to hear the good news he’ll have to be happy about it, but for now Tony lets himself cry. 

It doesn’t last that long, because while his face is buried in his knees and he’s bawling his eyes out quietly, someone drops a jacket onto his shoulders. It’s warm, like that someone had just taken it off. 

“What’s up, pudding cup?” Bucky asks as he throws an arm around Tony’s shoulders. It was comfortable and Tony managed a weak smile. “Did you talk to Steve?” 

Tony sniffles wryly, and scrubs his sleeve over his eyes. 

“Did _you_?” Tony asks back. Bucky rubs his warm hand over Tony’s arm. 

“A bit. I saw you head out without a jacket though, wanted to make sure you were okay.” Bucky replies. Tony sighs heavily. 

“Yeah? So are you guys...” Tony trails off, and stares down at the dying grass of the lawn, scattered with leaves. 

“No, we’re not. I, uh, I think we’re still friends, but nothing more than that.” Bucky says. 

“Did you... you know, you can if you want to. If you two wanna get together it’s fine, promise. Don’t say no because of me, I’ll be fine.” Tony grits out, and tucks his hands up into his armpits under the coat. 

“No, Doll,” Bucky says, and pulls Tony in close against his side. “I said no because I’m not interested in Stevie like that. He’s great and all, but he’s not really my type.” 

Bucky swallows and stays quiet for a second, then he adds, “I got my eye on someone else, anyway. Don’t know if he’d be interested but it’s still worth a shot, right? If everyone else’s feeling brave tonight.” 

Bucky slides around so he can cup Tony’s cheek and turn his head so their eyes can meet. Tony knows he looks puffy and gross, he can feel the dried tear tracks down his cheeks. Bucky smiles, soft and warm, and Tony suddenly realizes what he’s saying. 

“To be clear, no pressure here Tony. I mean it. I’m fine if you wanna go back inside and take your shot with Steve for real. We can just be friends again.” Bucky says softly and runs his thumb over Tony’s lower lip. “I just figured if everyone else was taking a shot tonight, I might as well tell you.” 

Tony watches him carefully but doesn’t say anything, his brain struggling to catch up. It seems insane, like it couldn’t be true. Tony idly thinks about getting up and going after Steve. He had a whole speech planned out, and he could still go give it a shot. 

Instead, he leans in and hugs Bucky around the middle. He kind of wants to cry again. He doesn’t do that either. 

“Okay,” he mumbles into Bucky’s chest. “I’ll give it a shot. Let’s see how it goes.” 

He pulls back and meets Bucky’s eyes. Bucky is smiling still, and Tony leans up to kiss him. It’s not deep or passionate or filthy. It’s pretty tame actually, but it’s also warm and comfortable. It’s _nice._ He could get used to this.

**Author's Note:**

> thanks for reading. comments, kudos, and concrit are amazing, please validate me.
> 
> also come yell at me on tunglr im [@ursweetheartless](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/ursweetheartless)


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